An Addition to the Group
by CloudChick
Summary: G for now, might change later. Hermione's friend stays the summer with her, she has to transfer to Hogwarts. The story starts on the last day of the holidays. Read to find out more! This is my first fanfiction, please read/review! Thanks! *CHAPTER 9 UP*
1. Prologue

A/N: This is my first fanfiction, hope you like it! A big thank you to my online buddy Sarah who came up with the title!! Please read and review.  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hermione Granger, Mrs. Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, or any of the characters in the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling (ALL HAIL! lol) owns the characters and settings in the Harry Potter books. Lissa, however, was created by me.  
  
  
Prologue  
  
I sat on my cot in my friend Hermione Granger's bedroom. I had spent the summer here.   
Hermione and I were talking about how the summer had gone by so fast, and about my nervousness   
because I would be going to Hogwarts this year.   
Before I get any farther, let me introduce myself. My name is Lissa Natash, and I am fifteen years old. The reason I had spent the summer at Hermione's house is that I had to transfer from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts. A few years ago, after I started school at Beauxbatons, my parents' careers got in the way. They both had to go to the United States and stay there for a long period of time- years. I didn't want to move away from Beauxbatons and my friends, so my parents left me with my Aunt Alexandra and her daughter (my cousin) Vicki. My mom is the middle child of three girls, and Aunt Alexandra is the oldest. She's my godmother, so I stay with her. Vicki is one year older than me--she turned sixteen in May. I was happy for three years, and during that time I met Hermione when she was on holiday here. We became friends and kept in touch when she went back home. At the end of those three years, which was only about four months ago, Aunt Alexandra also had to move because of her job. At the end of my term in Beauxbatons, I was devastated that I wouldn't be coming back. I promised to keep in touch with all my close friends, especially Alisha and Alexia. They are (or were) my best friends at Beauxbatons. We moved here to Britain at the start of the summer holidays, and for two weeks I was a wreck. Aunt Alexandra and Vicki couldn't help. Aunt Alexandra is a Muggle and Vicki is a Squib. Uncle Bill was a wizard, but he divorced Aunt Alex when I was really little. After the second week, I got an owl from Hermione asking me to stay the summer. I was thrilled! I left for Hermione's the next day, where I have been ever since. Now that you know who I am, back to the story. 


	2. The Last Night of the Holidays

Chapter 1  
  
  
"Don't worry, Lissa," Hermione told me. "Everything will be fine! I'll introduce you to Harry and Ron on the train."  
Hermione had told me all about Hogwarts and its people. She also lent me a copy of "Hogwarts, A History" so I would know as much as I could.   
  
"Easy for you to say. You've never had to move to another country," I said. I was flipping through a magazine one of my friends had sent me.  
  
"I really hope you're in Gryffindor. There's not a chance of you being a Slytherin, and chances of you being a Hufflepuff are slim. The only thing is, it's possible you might be a Ravenclaw- you're so smart."  
  
"So are you, and you're a Gryffindor," I pointed out. "I suppose it can go either way, and it's up to the Sorting Hat to decide. Besides, you said I had a lot of Gryffindor potential before." I took out a tube of glittery lipstick and applied a little. Then I looked over at Hermione. "I still don't understand why you wouldn't let me give you a makeover. You'd look so awesome!"  
  
"No, Lissa," Hermione replied, for about the thousandth time this summer. She has been very patient with me about this issue. She wouldn't wear makeup or nail polish. I wear both, but in minimal amounts. At that moment, Mrs. Granger called us for dinner, and we both got to our feet. Hermione and I went to the dining room and sat down.  
  
Dinner was a big affair, as it is both Hermione's and my last night here. It is, of course, also my first day at Hogwarts tomorrow. After dinner, Hermione and I headed back to Hermione's room. I had brought my music player that works in both the Muggle and wizard worlds to Hermione's, and I started to copy all of Hermione's music from her computer to little disks for my music player so we can listen to our favorite Muggle music at Hogwarts. I finished doing that, and Hermione told me it was time to pack our trunks. I opened my trunk and started to gather up all my things from their places in Hermione's room. Earlier this summer, Mrs. Granger took us to Diagon Alley to buy all of our supplies. It was awesome! Of course, my money was at Gringotts. Madame Maxime had it transferred for me. We had gone in the morning the first day we got the list, about eight o' clock A.M. It was just my luck that there were no Gryffindors in Hermione's year there.  
  
I finished packing all my belongings at about the same time Hermione did. I stood up and went over to the perch near the window. My snowy owl Snowflake had returned. I fed her, and Hermione fed Crookshanks. Snowflake was a present from my parents after I got accepted into Beauxbatons, where snowy owls are popular.  
  
Hermione's mom came in a little before nine o' clock. She talked to us for a few minutes, and I thanked her again for letting me stay the summer. She just smiled and said it had been a pleasure.   
  
"It's nine o' clock, girls. Time for lights out," Mrs. Granger told us. We were already in our pajamas, so Hermione climbed into her bed and I got under the comforter on my cot. After bidding us good-night, Mrs. Granger left. She shut off the light on her way out.   
  
Hermione and I continued to talk for another half-hour in the dark. Around nine-thirty, we both got a little tired.  
  
"Good night, Hermione."  
  
"Good night, Lissa."  
  
I rolled over onto my side and closed my eyes. I was still nervous, but my nerves eased around ten o' clock and I slid into sleep. 


	3. The Journey to King's Cross

Chapter 2  
  
A/N: Thank you so much to my reviewers from last time: Hermionegirl, Mitie Mouse, Gryffingirl, and Melissa.  
If you find any mistakes in my story, please email cloudchick3@hotmail.com. Thanks so much!   
  
Mrs. Granger came into Hermione's room. We were both still sleeping. Hermione was on her back in her bed, and I was lying on my side on my cot, my arm dangling over the side. Mrs. Granger flipped on the light and said, "Time to get up, girls." (Well, Hermione said she did. I was still sleeping.) Hermione opened her eyes and sat up, and her mom went back to the kitchen.   
  
"Lissa, wake up! First day of September! We go to Hogwarts today!" Hermione said loudly. I still didn't wake up. This is how she finally DID wake me up:  
  
1. She stole my comforter.  
  
2. When that didn't work, she put my comforter on the floor and rolled me in the direction I was facing. In short, she rolled me out of bed. I woke up with a slight backache on the the floor, Hermione standing over me, I then remembered why I had been woken up and sprang to my feet. I stood before Hermione's mirror trying to decide what to wear. Hermione got dressed in jean shorts and her favorite T-shirt. I finally decided on my cloud-patterned skyblue shirt (it brings out my blue eyes) and a pair of white capris. I repainted my fingernails silver, and put on my five silver stackable rings. I pulled on white socks and my sneakers, and decided to leave my hair down. I applied a little of my glitter lipstick and my outfit was complete.  
  
Hermione and I went to breakfast. We both had one slice of toast and two strawberry Pop-Tarts apiece. After breakfast, I made sure all of my possessions were in my trunk, and Hermione made sure she hadn't forgotten anything either. She was prowling around her room, checking every little space for forgotten items. While she did this, I heaved my trunk to the front door and went into the bathroom to finish getting ready. When I came out, Hermione was pushing her trunk into place next to mine. She put Crookshanks's basket next to Snowflake's cage. After taking her turn in the bathroom, Hermione came back to wait with me. Both of Hermione's parents came into the living room where we were and helped us put our trunks in their van. We all got in, and the trip to London began. My nerves surged, and Hermione and I started talking in low voices. Hermione finally managed to calm me down.  
  
The trip to London didn't take long-- twenty minutes and we were there. We found trolleys for our trunks and then it was time to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. I thanked them yet again for having me stay the summer.   
  
"It was our pleasure, Lissa. We're glad you and Hermione had so much fun," Mr. Granger said. Hermione's parents kissed her goodbye, and they both hugged Hermione and me. Hermione and I faced the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Hermione had explained this to me, but I was still nervous. We had ten minutes to make the train.   
  
"Go, Lissa. I'll be right behind you."  
  
I nodded, and walked toward the barrier. As it loomed nearer, I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was on a train platform. Hermione appeared behind me. She smiled at me and said, "Welcome to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters." 


	4. The Train Journey

Chapter 3  
  
A/N: Thank you so much to all of my reviewers! I really appreciate you all reading my story. It is you that motivate me to write...and remember, I love feedback! If you like my story, tell me so! If you have any ideas, post them in a review! If anyone can help me and tell me how to italicize and underline words, I'd appreciate it! Here is Chapter 3!!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Lissa, Snowflake, Aunt Alexandra, and Vicki.  
  
  
"Come on, let's go find Harry and Ron," Hermione suggested.   
  
"I finally get to meet your boyfriend that you talk so much about," I teased.  
  
Hermione went a little bit pink. It was true-- Ron was her boyfriend. We pushed back a heavy compartment door, revealing two boys. From Hermione's pictures, I knew instantly that these were Harry and Ron. Hermione and I heaved our trunks and animals aboard, then stood just inside the compartment. The train started to move, and Hermione spoke up.  
  
"This is my friend Lissa Natash. She had to transfer from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts this year. Lissa, this is Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."  
  
I smiled, and shook Ron's hand first. I then shook Harry's hand, looking into his eyes instead of at his scar. I knew he got enough people staring at his forehead, and I'd seen his scar in Hermione's pictures. Then a sudden thought struck me-- 'Did his hand quiver when I shook it?' I pushed it to the back of my mind, thinking I'd probably imagined it.   
  
Hermione sat down next to Ron, and I took the last empty seat. I was sitting next to Harry and across from Hermione. Hermione took something out of her pocket and gave it to me. It was one of the matching anklets Hermione and me had made-- mine. I tied it around my ankle and put my foot back down.  
  
"Do you know what house you're in?" Ron asked.  
  
I shook my head. "I'm supposed to see Professor Dumbledore when we get to Hogwarts."  
  
Ron nodded, then started talking to Hermione. I looked out the window and watched the countryside flick past like an extremely fast slideshow. I rested my elbow on the window ledge, and put my chin on my hand. Ron and Hermione were still talking, but I wasn't listening. After a few minutes, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. I looked around; Hermione was still talking to Ron, but Harry was looking at me. I gave him a small smile, which we returned. Then he spoke.  
  
"So, you're from Beauxbatons, right?" he asked.   
  
I nodded. "Yeah, but I had to transfer here because of Aunt Alexandra's job."   
  
"You live with your aunt? Why?" Harry looked interested.   
  
"Both my parents are in America, and Aunt Alexandra is my mom's older sister. She also happens to be my godmother, so I stay with her and my sixteen-year-old cousin Vicki." I then proceeded to tell Harry how I came to live with Aunt Alexandra (see the Prologue if you've forgotten). He didn't seem bored at all. He just leaned back against his seat and uttered, "Wow."  
  
I was silent for a moment. Then I asked, "What's Hogwarts like?"  
  
"Oh, it's a really cool school," Harry began.  
  
"Lissa, I already told you all about Hogwarts! We talked about it ALL SUMMER," Hermione said. I nodded once.   
  
"I don't really know what it's like there," I replied.  
  
"It's just awesome. Most of the classes are cool, except History of Magic and Potions. History of Magic is really boring, but Professor Binns is a ghost. Potions is taught by Snape, and he's really mean," Harry continued.  
  
"The food is great, and Quidditch matches are fun to watch. Some weekends, we get to go to Hogsmeade, an entirely wizarding village," Ron added.   
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione continued telling me all about Hogwarts: the school itself, the classes, the teachers, the hidden passageways, and everything. I felt a lot less nervous.   
  
There was a huge clattering outside in the corridor. I jumped when I heard the noise, and the others smiled at me. The compartment door slid back, revealing a plump witch pushing a cart piled with candy. I picked up my purse and followed the others out of the compartment. The smiling witch had nearly everything! I bought Chocolate Frogs, Mint Fudge, and a handful of Sugar Quills, along with a tiny bit of everything--I love my sweets! I handed the lady three Galleons, and my change consisted of two Sickles and a few Knuts. We all went back into the compartment, and I let the candy cascade from my arms as I sat down, like a shower of rainbow-colored rain. 


	5. Chocolate Frog Cards

Chapter 4  
  
A/N: Thank you soooooooooo much to all my reviewers! It gives me such a happiness boost when I see you like my story! Anyway, I am thinking about starting an Author Alert through email- when a new chapter is up I'll email everyone on my list. If you're interested, include your email in your review of this chapter. Thanks again, so much!!!! Here's Chapter 4!  
  
  
I bent down and casually started sweeping the fallen sweets into a pile. Harry helped, which I thought was really nice. I picked up a Chocolate Frog and opened it, then lifted the Frog out and peered at the card.  
  
"Rowena Ravenclaw," I breathed. "Wow."   
  
I sat there in a daze for a moment. Rowena Ravenclaw was a really rare card! My face broke into a grin. I had been looking for this card for about six months! Maybe it's a good sign, I thought.   
  
Hermione leaned over. "You got Rowena Ravenclaw? You lucky duck!"  
  
I held the card up for the others to see, then slid my hand into my trunk to retrieve the album in which I kept my Chocolate Frog cards. I placed Rowena Ravenclaw in its spot- my album was specially designed for Chocolate Frog cards. The slots were labeled with the number and name of the card that it held.  
  
"Oh, you collect the cards? So do we! Do you have any you want to trade?" Ron asked.  
  
I nodded, then started flipping through my album taking out the extras I possessed. I knelt on the carpet covering the compartment floor and arranged the cards in rows so the other three could see them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione laid out their multiples too, and pretty soon we were all trading. The compartment was soon filled with exclamations such as "I'll trade you a Circe and Morgana for Wendelin the Weird!" or "You have three Merlins?? I haven't even got one!"  
  
By the time we were done trading, everyone was pleased. Harry had gotten fourteen new cards, Ron got twelve, Hermione acquired thirteen, and I added a total of sixteen new cards to my album. (I was the one who had doubles of Wendelin the Weird. ^-^)   
  
Hermione checked her watch. "Oh my gosh, we'll be there in twenty minutes! Come on, Lissa; grab your uniform and we'll go find an empty compartment to change in."  
  
I dug the various parts of my uniform out of my trunk and followed Hermione, shutting the compartment door behind me and noticing Hermione going into the compartment next door. Apparently it was empty, so I went in and closed the door.  
  
After a quick explanation of what to put on over what, Hermione changed into her uniform. I paused, then traded my cloud top for the white shirt and shed my capris for the black pants. Seizing the gray cardigan next, I pulled it over my head. There was one part of my uniform I left lying on the seat; I didn't want to put on the Hogwarts robe. I was a Beauxbatons girl. Putting on the Hogwarts robe would seal my unwilling break with Beauxbatons, and I didn't want that. Hermione noticed my hesitation and sighed.  
  
"I know you miss Beauxbatons, but you are going to go to Hogwarts now. I know it'll feel strange, but you have to put on your robe, Lissa," Hermione said.   
  
My eyes were downcast as I toyed with the robe's material. Summoning all the willpower in my body, I forced myself to put on the robe. Hermione gave me a sympathetic smile as we went back to our previous compartment. The door was partially open, so we went in. I walked straight back to my seat and returned to staring sullenly out the window. My hand wandered absently to my sweets still piled in the corner. I picked up a Sugar Quill and placed it between my still-subtly-glittery lips. In a few minutes, the train slowed and anxiety seeped into my mind once more. I hastily put my sweets into my trunk, and the four of us were the last to depart from the train. We got a carriage to ourselves, and when Ron slammed the door the carriage set off, bumping and climbing its way to the castle. When we arrived, everyone else was already there. Professor Dumbledore was standing just inside the great oak doors. I swallowed. 


	6. Arrival At Hogwarts

Chapter 5  
  
A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks to all my reviewers. Remember, the more feedback I get, the faster Chapter 6 and later chapters will be up. ;) A reminder: if you want to be emailed when I post a new chapter, tell me so and leave your email in your review! Here's Chapter 5!  
  
We got out, and when we reached Professor Dumbledore he greeted us.   
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Lissa," he said.  
  
"Thank you, sir," I replied.  
  
Professor Dumbledore explained the Sorting to me (he didn't seem to know Hermione had already told me) and sent Harry and Ron into the Great Hall.   
"I must also go in. After the first years are sorted, I will introduce Lissa. Lissa, when I say your name you will come into the Great Hall to be sorted. Hermione, you may stay with Lissa until I call her name."  
  
We both thanked him as he left, then stood in the doorway. We were hidden, but our view of the Sorting wasn't obscured. My nerves returned, and I faced Hermione.  
  
"If I don't get into Gryffindor, we'll just spend time in the library or on the grounds," I told her.  
  
Hermione nodded, then gave me an encouraging smile. We both watched as the final first year, Ceri Wilson, was Sorted into Ravenclaw. The chatter silenced as Dumbledore rose. I stiffened.   
  
"Before we begin our feast, I have a few announcememnts. New pupils should know that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to all students, and that magic in the corridors is not allowed. I would also like to announce that we have a new student this year. She is a transfer from Beauxbatons, and will be going into her fifth year. Please welcome Lissa Natash!"  
  
"This is it," I whispered as Hermione and I entered the Great Hall.  
  
"Hope to see you soon," she replied, and took her seat at the Gryffindor table.  
  
I approached the woman who I knew from Hermione's pictures to be Professor McGonagall. I sat on the stool and she lowered the Sorting Hat over my eyes. A few moments later, a voice started muttering in my ear.   
  
"New student, transfer from Beauxbatons, eh? Interesting. Let's see...not a Slytherin, no, you're too kind-hearted...loyal...ooh, individualistic. What a brain! You'd do well as a Ravenclaw"--my heart sank--"something tells me, maybe it's important later, who knows, that you belong in" --the hat took a deep breath and shouted--  
  
  
A/N2: Cliffe!! Tee hee!! The more feedback I get, the sooner the next chapter goes up! Reminder: if you want to be on my alert list, tell me so! 


	7. Lissa's Sorting

Chapter 6  
  
A/N: Yay! 25 reviews! :) Remember, the more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to post the next chapter! Anyway, this chapter finally relieves the suspense of the cliffe I left at the end of the last chapter. *evil grin* hope you enjoyed that. If you want to join my mailing list and get an email whenever a new chapter is posted, go to http://cloudchick.notifylist.com/ and put your email address in, then follow the directions in the email they send you. Here is Chapter 6!  
  
DISCLAIMER: The only character in this chapter I own is Lissa. Rachel belongs to The Jew In Gryffindor (read her fanfics! They're great!) and the rest belong to the great, great J.K. Rowling.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
I was so relieved I could have cried with happiness. I took the Sorting Hat off and headed toward the applauding Gryffindor table. Curiously enough, the seating arrangement was the same as on the train. Ron and Hermione were, of course, sitting next to one another. Harry was seated across from Ron, and I took the empty seat between him and a girl that looked like she was the same year as us. I didn't know, as I hadn't met her before. The Gryffindors smiled at me as I took my seat, then turned their attention back to Professor Dumbledore. I did the same.  
  
"I would like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to all students- no excuses. Magic between classes in the corridors is also against the rules. The updated list of things that are not allowed in the castle is posted outside Mr. Filch's office. I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin!"  
  
At Professor Dumbledore's words, great quantities of food and drink blossomed into existence. Carefully choosing all the things I wanted to eat, I took my servings of food and began eating my dinner.  
  
I was introduced to the girl on my other side, and she introduced me to her friend across from her. I was sitting next to Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown was across from her. After dinner, we were dismissed. I got up and followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the Great Hall and up a staircase.I noticed all the students near the middle of the staircase skipping a particular step, and I thought nothing of it until my foot sank ankle-deep into the step. I lost my balance and grabbed Hermione's shoulder to keep from falling. I tried to pull my ankle out, but it was stuck. Fortunately, there were only a few people behind us. They just went around us, hopping the step of course. Harry and Hermione freed my imprisoned ankle and we continued up the stairs, pulling open secret doors and lifting back great tapestries until we reached the seventh floor. We stopped in front of a painting depicting a large woman clothed in a pink silk dress. Then the woman in the painting parted her lips and spoke a single word.  
  
"Password?" she asked.  
  
"Newt tail," Ron replied.   
  
The painting swung forward to reveal a large hole in the wall. Harry and Ron climbed through it, but Hermione stayed outside to explain. "This is the portrait hole. Through here is the Gryffindor common room, where we spend all our free time. Come on," she told me, and climbed through the hole. I followed suit, wondering what was next.  
  
The Gryffindor common room was big, circular, and unfamiliar to me. My eyes traveled around the room, taking it all in as I flopped into a vacant armchair. I was introduced to the other three Gryffindor boys: Dean, Seamus, and Neville. After that, Hermione introduced me to the remaining Gryffindor girl, Rachel. The girls showed me the dorm, then we all went back down to the common room for a little while before bed.  
  
At nine-thirty, the five Gryffindor girls headed up the staircase and back to the dorm. We all changed into our pajamas and crawled into our beds. After exchanging good-nights, the lights were extinguished. Being the night owl I am, I couldn't fall asleep yet. I lay on my back listening to the other four girls fall asleep. At ten o'clock, sleepiness washed over me. I roled onto my side and wondered what would happen tomorrow. My last thought before I fell asleep was 'Maybe going here won't be that bad.' I smiled to myself and in seconds, I was asleep. 


	8. The First Morning

Chapter 7  
  
I am sooooo sorry for not updating in so long. School has really taken up a ton of my time. Thank you to all of my reviewers. Now, for the long-awaited Chapter 7!  
  
  
"Oof!"  
  
I suddenly snapped back to consciousness. Something soft and fluffy was covering my head. I lifed it off my face and examined it. It turned out to be Parvati's pillow. I sat up and threw it back to her, then stretched.  
  
"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Lavender said cheerily.  
  
I yawned widely. I was not a morning person. After Hermione came out of the bathroom, I went in and took my shower. I came out, dressed, and wrapped my hair in a towel. My wand was still in my trunk, so I pulled it out and set it on my nightstand. I rubbed my hair with the towel until it was nearly dry, because I didn't know if I was allowed to use magic yet. I didn't feel like using my wand anyway. I dug my music player out of my trunk and plugged the small earphone in. The up-tempo music playing in my right ear woke me up nicely.   
  
After we were all ready, the five Gryffindor girls trooped down the spiral staircase. Hermione and I met up with Harry and Ron before going down to the Great Hall. At breakfast, I must have jumped a foot when the mail arrived. One minute I was eating my toast and listening to the others talk, the next I was watching hundreds of owls flutter low over the tables. Snowflake arrived with a letter for me; I fed her some toast and took the letter.  
  
It turned out to be from Alisha and Alexia, wanting to know if there were any cute guys in this new place. Alexia is so boy-crazy, much the opposite of me. I carefully reached down into my bag and pulled out a baby-blue gel-pen. I knew I wouldn't be able to use it in class, but I still wanted to have it with me. The gel-pen moved across the parchment as I wrote my reply, and when Snowflake finished her piece of toast I sent her off again.  
  
Professor McGonagall proceeded up the Gryffindor table, handing out schedules as she went. I took mine from her outstretched hand and examined it closely. There were some classes at Beauxbatons that weren't offered here; classes I would miss the most. Meditation, for example. A teacher had to recommend you for Meditation at Beauxbatons; it took advanced mind and healing powers to be able to successfully meditate. Luckily for me, this was my strong point. Being able to meditate had really been useful over the years. I looked down at my schedule again and the corners of my mouth drooped. History of Magic, my least favorite and worst class, was second on the list.  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I finished breakfast, then picked up our bags and consulted our schedules again.   
  
"Charms first," Ron announced.   
  
We started up the staircase; I had no clue where anything was, so I just followed the others. Hermione and Ron went ahead a little so they could talk to each other, so I stayed back with Harry. He warned me of all the trick stairs while we chatted on the way to the Charms classroom. We met up with Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the fifth year Gryffindors. The fifth year Ravenclaws were also there. The door opened and all of the students went inside.  
  
After we were seated, the teacher, whose name Hermione told me to be Professor Flitwick, took roll and noticed I was new. He asked me a few questions about what kinds of things I had learned at Beauxbatons, then started with the lesson. Today we would start color-change charms. Professor Flitwick gave each of us a piece of white cloth, and said we could experiment with changing the colors. By the end of the lesson, we had to match the purple cloth on his desk.  
  
I turned to my cloth and flicked my wand at it, saying "Shadea!" and focusing on a certain shade of baby blue. The cloth turned a faded, dusty blue instead. I supposed I hadn't concentrated hard enough, and tried again.  
  
"Shadea!" This time it really worked. I beamed at my small accomplishment. I changed the cloth a few more times: from blue it became silver, then gold, and then mint green. I stared at the purple cloth on Professor Flitwick's desk, trying to fix the shade in my mind. When I felt ready, I pointed my wand at my cloth, closed my eyes, and concentrated on the shade of purple. "Shadea," I muttered,then opened my eyes. The cloth glistened purple. I had done it.   
Professor Flitwick came around, checking our pieces of cloth. Everyone had gotten it purple except Neville. He had accidentally turned his quill yellow instead.   
  
The bell rang and I groaned inwardly. Next was History of Magic, my worst and least favorite subject. The minutes dragged by; the only interesting thing was that Professor Binns was a ghost. Even that got boring after a while. I was relieved when class ended; I raised my head off my arms, put my materials back in my bag, and followed Hermione to Arithmancy. Professor Vector was nice, and I liked Arithmancy. Next on my schedule was Divination, but Hermione had a free period. However, she said she'd take me to Divination. About halfway there, we caught Harry and Ron heading to the same place we were. I went the remainder of the way to the Divination classroom with Harry and Ron so Hermione could make the most of her free period. The boys led me up through four floors and up to a dead-end staircase landing.  
  
  
  
A/N2: Hope you like Chapter 7! I am so sorry I didn't get it up sooner, but school has been taking up a lot of my time. Now that you've read (and hopefully enjoyed) this chapter, you can go review! *hint hint* LOL. I will try to have chapters up sooner! Peace out! 


	9. A New Friend

A/N: Thank you to all of my reviewers! I am so glad you liked my story! Also special thank-yous to my online buddy Sarah, who came up with the title of the story (in case you've forgotten, I sure haven't. :-P) and another close online buddy of mine, Allison, who beta-reads my chapters. The character Rachel in this story is not mine, but belongs to Allison. Thank you to all of my readers and close online budz who read this!  
  
Disclaimer: Same old, same old. I do not own Harry, Hermione, Ron, or anything from the Harry Potter books.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"Where do we go from here?" I wondered aloud. I looked around. The only corridor in sight was at the foot of the stairs we had just climbed. Harry looked up and Ron pointed his finger skyward. I looked up and saw a circular trapdoor about three feet above me. There was a tiny plaque on it, and I read the inscription: Sibyll Trelawney, Divination teacher.  
  
Having my previous question answered, I started to ask another one. "How do we--" I began, but my query was cut short. The trapdoor opened and a silvery ladder descended. Ron started to climb, and I followed him. Harry was behind me as we climbed.   
  
The Divination room surprised me. It was different from what I was used to, with the strong perfume and rosy light. The teacher turned around and saw me. She was standing by the fireplace, the flames' light dancing and flickering on her face.   
  
"Welcome, Miss Natash," she said softly.  
  
I didn't know how to respond to this, but the teacher went on.  
  
"I am the Divination teacher. My name is Professor Trelawney. I would like to welcome you to my class. Please choose a partner and sit down."  
  
I thanked her, then looked around for a partner. Hermione wasn't there, of course, so that ruled her out. Harry and Ron had paired off, as had Lavender and Parvati. I started to get nervous, thinking I'd have to sit with a stranger. I looked for another familiar face in the mass of little tables. Then I noticed that Rachel, the other fifth-year Gryffindor girl I had been briefly introduced to the previous night, was sitting alone. I breathed a small sigh of relief and made my way over to her.  
  
"Can I sit here?" I queried, gesturing to the seat on Rachel's left.  
  
She looked up and nodded. "Yeah, it's okay. Sit down."  
  
With that, I pushed my bag under the chair and sat down. That day, Professor Trelawney informed us, we would start an extensive study of numerology. Several times during the lesson, I caught Professor Trelawney looking at me, and I wondered why. She had a curious look written on her face, as if she wanted to know more about me. This made me wonder what she was thinking. Could she sense something about me that I didn't know about?  
  
I opened my Divination book to page seventeen. The first instruction was to write my full name down, so I pulled out my parchment and a quill. I hesitated for a moment, then wrote my name at the top: Lissa Anna Natash. A small shudder of disgust ran down my spine. I didn't like my middle name much. (A/N: Sorry to anyone who has the name Anna!) In my book was a chart showing the values of the twenty-six letters, and each letter had a value ranging from one to nine.   
  
Numerology seemed easy enough; every letter had a number, and numbers in birthdays were significant. All our lesson consisted of was adding numbers for different things up, and keep adding until the result was a single number or a 'master' number of 11 or 22. (A/N: Example- 9 + 8= 17, 1+7=8) Names were the first thing in the unit, so I set about adding up the number equivalents of the letters in my name.   
  
"Class," Professor Trelawney's misty voice said, "it is time to pack away your things. Complete the exercises on pages seventeen and eighteen for tomorrow. That is all."  
  
I shut my book and put everything back in my bag. While we waited, Rachel and I chatted.  
  
"You're from Beauxbatons? It must have been cool there," Rachel said.   
  
"Oh, it's an awesome school. I wouldn't have left it if I had the choice. My parents got jobs in America, but I didn't want to move so far away from all my friends; so I moved in with my Aunt Alexandra and her daughter Vicki," I replied.  
  
"I used to live in America, but we had to move here five years ago because of my parents' jobs. They're both in the American Ministry of Magic, and they're ambassadors. We moved here just in time for my first year here. American schools start five years earlier, so this is actually my tenth year of magical education," Rachel continued.  
  
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. "We'll talk more later," I promised. Rachel and I left the classroom together and began the long descent to the main part of the school.  
  
  
A/N2: I hope you like this chapter, and keep in mind Rachel belongs to The Jew In Gryffindor. GO READ/REVIEW HER STORIES WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR ME TO UPDATE AGAIN! They are great stories and her "Leaving America" story explains Rachel's past, which will be important later in the story. Now that you're done with this chapter, please review! Thank you! 


	10. Minor Mishap

Chapter 9  
  
A/N: I am so sorry these chapters are slow in coming out. The real world and school have been taking up a lot of my time, and I am also starting another fanfic (not HP). Since it's spring break and there is at least one inch of snow on the ground (no April Fools! Really!) I'm going to try to get another chapter out this week. Without further ado, here is chapter 9!  
  
  
At lunch, I sat next to Rachel. It was very strange, really. The seating arrangements were almost identical to those of every other time, except Rachel was on my right and Parvati was next to her. I talked about what Beauxbatons was like, and she told me what her American school was like: Eastern Academy in Baltimore, Maryland.   
  
Lunch was over in nearly no time. Hermione and Parvati showed me the way to Ancient Runes. I nearly sank into a trick stair, but I avoided it just in time. After climbing the fifth spiral staircase, I became slightly dizzy. I teetered on my feet a moment when we reached the sixth floor. Parvati laughed and put my arm around her shoulders as we walked until everything stopped spinning. I laughed as I removed my arm from Parvati's shoulder, and said, "We never had this many staircases at Beauxbatons. I'm used to the teleport pads people use to get around over there."  
  
We reached the Ancient Runes classroom and went inside. Hermione spotted a friend of hers who was in Ravenclaw, so I sat with Parvati.   
  
Ancient Runes was a little difficult for me at first. It was tricky and a little complicated. Throughout the lesson, Parvati and I laughed and chatted. We got along really well. At the end of the lesson, I was a little confused, but thought I got the general idea. I was startled when the bell rang. The class had gone by so fast. I threw my materials back in my bag and departed at top speed, not wanting to be late for my next class.   
  
When I got to Transfiguration, I sat between Harry and Parvati. My day had been going all right so far, until one minor bad thing happened. The cap on the ink bottle I had oh-so-hastily shoved into my bag had been jolted loose. The result of this minor mistake was that the contents of my bag were soaked with silvery-blue ink. I gave a small groan when I opened my bag and saw this, but then a little technique I learned at Beauxbatons popped into my mind. I stared into my ink-splattered bag, fixing the image of the mess in my mind. When the image had become etched in my mind's eye, I closed my eyes and visualized all the ink coming off my possessions and returning to its place inside the bottle. I concentrated as hard as I could, yet I wasn't sure if I could do it. I'd only managed it a few times at Beauxbatons.   
  
My concentration reached a peak, then started to decline. I opened my eyes, and my heart gave a leap. I had concentrated so hard I had telelported back to Beauxbatons!  
  
...I wish. What really happened was that my bag was no longer a sea of spilled ink. It had miraculously (well, at least I thought so) responded to my concentration and gone back in the bottle. After I had seen this small miracle (it might not have been a miracle, but it felt like it to me) Professor McGonagall arrived. The class quieted.   
  
"Good afternoon, class," Professor McGonagall greeted us. She was greeted by a chorus of 'Good afternoon, Professor,' from the class. "Please open your books to page twelve," she told the class. We did as we were told. From the look of pages twelve through fourteen, we would learn how to change a picture of a rabbit into a real rabbit. About fifteen seconds after Professor McGonagall finished teaching us how to do it, I heard a pop to my left. To no one's surprise, Hermione had already mastered the spell. I turned back to my own rabbit picture, then an idea struck me. It was like what I had done with my ink bottle. If I concentrated hard enough, I could do almost anything. I decided to give it a shot. Closing my eyes and pointing my wand, I said the spell and focused on my picture turning real. Something on the desk made a soft sound. A furry little rabbit wiggled its nose and hopped around on the desk where my picture had lain seconds before. I smiled.  
  
"All right," I muttered. "I got it."  
  
  
  
A/N2: Thanks for reading! Now, being the good person you are, you can leave me a nice review:) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More of this story soon! 


	11. The Potions Lesson

A/N: Yes, day by day, these updates are getting closer and closer. Please bear with me, as I am busy with schoolwork and other things. For all my awesome readers, here is Chapter 10!  
  
After Transfiguration, I had Care of Magical Creatures. I was introduced to Hagrid at the start of the lesson.  
  
"Welcome to me class, Lissa," Hagrid said.  
  
I thanked him, and he began the lesson. The class was rather uneventful. We just read the introduction to the unit and skimmed the chapter. From the few passages I'd glanced at, the class promised to be an interesting one.   
  
The sound of the booming bell echoing across the grounds dismissed us from the lesson. I looked up from my book, surprised. I returned my book to its place in my bag, and extracted my schedule. A quick glance told me all I needed to know. What it did tell me was that I had one class left that day. That class was Potions. According to the schedule I was holding in my hands, Professor Snape taught Potions in the dungeons. I ran to catch up with Rachel and Parvati as they entered the castle.  
  
"What's Professor Snape like?" I inquired of them, slightly out of breath from running.  
  
"Meanest teacher in Hogwarts," was Rachel's answer. My spirits slipped.  
  
"He only favors his own students, he's head of Slytherin House, did you know? Just don't cross him, he can get really nasty at times. Especially to Gryffindors," Parvati further explained. I swallowed. This did not sound like it was going to be a happy, pleasant lesson like most of the rest had been.   
  
We reached the dungeon classroom and went inside. I sat down, with Rachel on my left and Parvati on my right. My eyes traveled around the classroom, taking in the new location. It wasn't a very welcoming place; the stone walls were blank and bare, there were no windows, and it was a little chilly. A shiver ran up my spine. Just then, footsteps could be heard in the hallway and the door opened to revel a man who fit only one description. This person was Professor Snape.   
  
The class fell silent when Professor Snape entered. I studied him when he came in. He certainly didn't look very friendly. The dungeon classroom portrayed his personality, as far I could tell. He cast a dark look at the Gryffindors his class consisted of. As with the teachers we'd already had that day, Professor Snape began class by taking roll call. He noticed I was new, and when the last Gryffindor had declared himself present, he rolled up the parchment list and turned to me.  
  
"What school have you transferred here from?" Professon Snape barked.  
  
"Beauxbatons, sir," I replied.   
  
"Indeed," I heard him mutter. "Let's see what they've taught you. What color does a Shrinking Solution turn after the fourth ingredient has been added?"   
  
"Blue, sir," I answered. I assumed it was correct, because Professor Snape shot me another question.   
  
"What is they key ingredient in a Love Potion?" he snapped.  
  
"Ashwinder eggs, sir."  
  
Professor Snape looked furious, but muttered, "Correct."  
  
I was puzzled. Why would Professor Snape look so mad? I'd answered the questions right. It really confused me.   
  
Professor Snape gave me one last question. "What are Billywig stings used for?"  
  
I bit my lip, then answered, "Levitation potions, sir."  
  
Professor Snape looked even madder. After indicating that I had given the correct answer, he started the lesson. We were to make a levitation potion that day, and after copying down some notes, the class set to work. I unpacked the ingredients I needed and started to work. I messed up my potion twice, but with Hermione's help I set it right again. It was with great relief on my behalf when I avoided being lectured by Professor Snape for this. He hadn't even seen it. Five minutes before the end of class, Professor Snape told us to pack everything away, but to but to keep maintaining the potions we were to have finished by now.   
  
"We shall test one of the potions in this classroom," Professor Snape began in his chilling voice. I stood behind my cauldron, trying to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. Apparently, my efforts had the reverse effect. Professor Snape's cold eyes locked with mine. Then I knew. He was going to test mine.   
  
"We shall test Miss Natash's potion. If she has succeeded in brewing a levitation potion, she will lift a few inches off the floor. If she has been unsuccessful"--a mirthless smile drew the corners of his mouth upward--"she is likely to be taken ill. Gather 'round."  
  
I bit my lip again. Professor Snape swept over to my still-frothy cauldron, his robes swishing. He dipped a small spoon into my potion, then handed the spoonful of potion to me. "Drink," he commanded.  
  
I lifted the spoon to my lips and drained it. The potion felt odd going down, almost like I was swallowing liquid foam. Then the foam sensation started spreading. I felt a little uneasy with the whole class watching. The foam sensation was replaced by an odd lightness. Soon after that, I noticed my feet were hovering six inches above the ground. The Gryffindors grinned. Professor Snape looked angry again. He poured a small measure of a potion from a glass bottle and shoved the spoon into my hand, with the same order: "Drink."   
  
I swallowed the new potion, and the lightness faded. My feet returned to the ground at the exact moment the bell rang. "Class dismissed," Professor Snape snapped. I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the room.  
  
What an interesting year this was going to be. 


End file.
